The Wolf and the Falcon
by kashudoreineko
Summary: Who knew that Hawke spent her downtime telling "Fairy Tales" to the children in the Alienage. Varric did. And now Fenris will hear her most popular story - one that sounds a little too familiar...


I do not own Dragon Age or its characters.

I do not make any money off the stories I've written for it.

Unless you count the fact that I can't sleep or work when a story takes hold, so writing it allows me to get back to being productive. But I don't think that Bioware can sue me for that.

The Wolf and the Falcon

"Just sit here and be quiet," Varric said softly. "Otherwise you'll miss it."

Shaking his head, Fenris sighed, "And what exactly is it that I might miss?"

With a smirk, Varric replied, "One of the best tales I've ever heard. And coming from me, that's saying something."

"But why do I have to sit here – couldn't you just tell me the story back at the Hanged Man?"

His grin grew sly and he responded, "Ah, but **I** won't be the one telling the tale."

The sound of children laughing could be heard on the other side of the tree that they were sitting against in the middle of the Alienage, and Varric whispered, "Just be still and listen."

The sound of a woman's lilting laughter could be heard above the giggling and noises of the children at play. He recognized the sound instantly: it was a laugh that haunted his dreams.

"Are you going to tell it again? I want to hear it!" a small girl's voice rang.

"Me, too!" cried a boy.

A chorus of agreement that was almost a cacophony followed.

Cocking her head to the side, the woman replied, "And which story is it that you want to hear?"

In unison, they all replied, "The Wolf and the Falcon!"

"Are you sure you don't want to hear about the golden goose?" she asked, knowing the answer. They all voiced their disapproval. "Or about the half elf and the Court of Dreams?"

"Nooooo!" they all cried.

Nodding her head, she responded, "Well, if you're all in agreement, then that is the tale that shall be told. The Wolf and the Falcon."

On the other side of the tree, Fenris' expression became a bit guarded, but Varric noticed that his attention was fully on the speaker now.

"You all know there are many animals that live in the woods – rabbits and deer, bears and foxes, and oh so many others. Some animals live quiet lives, eating the plants that grow there, and trying to stay hidden. Because other animals that live there hunt them and EAT THEM!" She leaned out and snapped her teeth at one of the children who giggled at her antics.

"For the most part, though, the animals keep to their own kind. Rabbits pretty much just hang out with other rabbits. You hardly ever see one talking to a field mouse or a squirrel. It's not that they're anti-social, exactly – it's more that they just never really seem to take the time to think about the fact that there are other types out there that they might get along with."

She looked out at the little Elvhen children sitting around her. "It's kind of like the way that most humans stay with humans and most Elvhen stay with other Elfs. Some do it out of hatred or fear, but mostly they just don't really stop to consider the possibilities.

"And it's no different for those creatures of the forest. But those who need to hunt for their food, they can often find themselves living exceptionally solitary lives. Falcons are creatures like this. They're born into a family that nurtures them just until they're ready to fly. But once they leave the nest, they live alone – flying free, where the wind and opportunity takes them, lifting them up as they soar alone in the sky."

"But don't they get lonely?" one little girl asked wistfully.

The speaker tilted her head and said, "Perhaps. But if you've never known what it's like to be with others, then you don't know what to call that feeling. You have no way of knowing that you're lonely.

"Now, wolves – as a rule – don't fall into that category. Because wolves are born into a pack. They have big families that they play with and eat with and sleep with. And they're happy that way. But wolves are hunters. And that means they compete for some of the same animals that people eat – like deer.

"And because they have sharp teeth and claws, many people think that means they're evil – when in fact, they're just animals trying to survive. Because of this, misguided people sometimes decide that their world would be a little bit safer if they went out and hunted those wolves. The way they see it, killing them not only provides them with pelts, but it also means there's less competition for the deer that they themselves hunt and eat."

Now her voice grew tense, as if anticipating action: "One day, a pack of human hunters came upon a pack of wolves, and a great fight began. The wolves fought to save their own lives – after all, it was not they who started the fight – but the humans were numerous, and they had many weapons like mighty swords!" She swiftly pulled her sword out of it's sheath and banged it on the ground, the noise making the children "eep" and then giggle.

"At the last, there all the wolves lay dead – or so they thought. As they were finishing up taking the hides, they found, hidden underneath the body of a female wolf, a young wolf cub. The young wolf cried when the humans uncovered it – not understanding what had happened, only knowing that its mother was now dead and it was alone."

Her voice grew soft. "The leader of the human hunters saw the wolf cub. But he would not slay it, as it was a child and helpless."

"Was he a nice man then?" a boy asked.

With a grimace, the woman replied, "Perhaps. Perhaps not. But the reason he saved the cub was that he had a thought. The wolf was young. It could be leashed. Trained perhaps. Do you know what happens when you chain up a wolf for too long?"

The children who'd heard the story before smiled, but didn't answer, wanting to leave it to her, while the children who were new to the story responded with assorted varieties of , "No, what?"

"Wolves when chained will do one of two things. Either they will violently fight those chains, never giving up until they are dead. Or, they will break inside, and stop being a wolf. Instead, they decide to simply become a dog, thinking it is better to be something else than to fight without end."

"What did this wolf do?" a very small girl asked.

"Well, he was very, very young. And he didn't know much of anything – of who he was, or even his nature. So he went with the hunter for a while, allowing the man to take care of him and raise him.

"Several years passed, and the wolf grew into an adult. Knowing no better, he still served the hunter. But deep within him, he sensed that all was not right. But he had no way of knowing why he felt that way. He only knew that his soul was uneasy.

"But because he still served the human hunter, the hunter thought him to be tame. And that is where he made his mistake.

"The hunter decided that the wolves near his hunting ground had again grown in number, and so it was time to kill off the pack again. And he brought his 'pet' with him, thinking to gloat and bask in his own brilliance – as he was the one who thought of raising the wolf cub in the first place, and many of his friends had thought him mad for doing so. 'Well, this will show them!' he thought.

"So the hunter took the wolf cub hunting wolves.

"When they found the wolf pack, the hunter ordered his pet to fight them."

She paused for dramatic effect, and looked around to see the kids, their attention rapt on the story being told.

"And the wolf did."

There were gasps.

"He fought his own kind?" one asked, incredulous.

"He did not know they WERE his own kind. He had never seen a wolf before – not since the day the hunter had taken him home.

"But he noticed they smelled… familiar. And he found that his level of disquiet grew as he fought.

"Toward the end of the fight, one of the older wolves, who lay dying from the wound he had just inflicted looked up at him and asked, 'Why do your fight your brothers for that human? Why do you betray us?' just before he died.

"The wolf did not know what he meant, but his heart felt as if it had taken a wound – although there were no marks on his skin to show that any of the creatures he and his master had fought had even laid a claw on him.

"Off in the distance, he heard one of the wolves who had escaped from the slaughter howling in grief, and his heart was torn further. At that moment, the hunter called him to go back home.

"But in his heart, he could not go.

"Instead, he bit the man when he tried to reattach his leash, and then turned and ran off into the woods, with his master calling out behind him to come back.

"He ran and he ran and he ran until he couldn't run any more – and the prideful hunter was left in his dust.

"Finally, he came to a stop near a pond. He was gasping for breath and so very thirsty. He leaned over to take a drink, and saw his reflection. A reflection of the very creatures he had just been fighting.

"Realizing it was himself he was seeing, he understood, finally, what the dying wolf had said. How had he become a slave to this man? Ah, did it even matter how it happened? He had been used! Used to serve the man, taken away from his true fate – whatever that should have been.

"He tilted his head back and howled in sorrow. Because he knew now that he was alone. He could not go back to the human unless he was willing to be a slave to the man's will again. But would the wolves ever allow him to join the pack after what he'd done? He knew they would not.

"He was alone."

She paused and looked into the sky. Her expression was both grim and sad.

The children watched her, but did not interrupt the silent pause with either comment or any other restless sound.

"And so the wolf lived alone in the woods. Hunting as necessary, staying away from man. Watching the other wolves, but never joining them, because he felt unworthy. But by watching them, he learned of his own kind.

"He remained isolated, alone.

"Then, one day, as he was walking, he fell into a trap – a pit some hunter had dug and then covered with a mesh of vines and leaves so that some unsuspecting animal would fall into it and become prey.

"The wolf was smart, and realized as soon as he landed in the bottom, exactly what had happened. But try though he might, he couldn't jump out of the pit on his own.

"So he started to dig instead. He began to dig a tunnel.

"But the pit was very, very deep. And the dirt was very tightly packed. And progress was slow. Still, that did not deter the wolf from trying. Because really, there was no other choice. If he didn't continue to fight for his freedom, he'd just end up a slave again. And instinctively he knew that if that happened, he would cease to be what he had learned to be – a true wolf, and become something else. And that, he did not want to do.

"After hours of digging in the dirt – scratch, scratch, scratch. Scratch, scaratch, Scratch. Hours and he still had barely made a rut. He sighed and went back to it. Scratch, scratch, scratch.

"'What on earth are you doing all the way down there?' A voice called to him from up above. He froze in place. Who could possibly be calling him? 'And must you make all that noise? It's scaring away all the mice for my evening meal.'

"He looked up and saw it was a falcon, sitting on a tree branch above the pit. 'I'm trying to dig my way out of this pit,' he said.

"'Can't you just fly out?' asked the falcon, gliding down to the edge of the pit, looking at him.

"'Do you see any wings, stupid bird? I'm not a falcon, I'm a wolf. I can't fly,' he responded tersely.

"The bird cocked her head and said, 'That's a shame. Seems like you're not likely to get out of there before the hunters get back then – as I saw them entering the woods just a couple minutes ago.' At this news, the wolf began redoubling his efforts. He would not give up. And if it came down to it, if these hunters did show up before he got out of the hole in the ground, he would tear their throats out before he'd let them take him alive.

"The bird watched him with pity for a few seconds more. And then she flew off.

"'Stupid bird,' the wolf thought again, never ceasing in his attempts to free himself. He kept digging until he heard a large crash behind him and he spun to face the hunters.

"But what he saw when he turned was a rather large branch, that reached from the bottom of the pit, all the way up to the top. And sitting next to the pit, the falcon gasped from exertion.

"'Well,' she wheezed, 'what are you waiting for? It's not much, but it's the biggest branch I could carry. I think you should be able to climb out on it, right?'

"The wolf blinked at her, amazed. No one had ever done anything to help him before. What did she want from him that she would do this? But his hearing picked up the sound of the hunters in the distance, and he quickly sprang into action, carefully making his way up the branch she'd brought.

"Once out of the pit, he ran as far away from the trap as he could. And the bird followed, watching him from overhead. Finally, he stopped at a pond for a drink, and she alighted in a tree nearby.

"The wolf looked at her and said, 'Why did you do that?'

"'I think the phrase you're looking for here is thanks,' she replied.

"The wolf paused a moment, grimaced and grunted out, 'Thanks.'

"'Much better. And you're welcome.'

"With a growl that he couldn't contain, he again asked, 'Are you going to tell me why you helped me?'

"The falcon looked at him in confusion. 'You're a wolf. The hunters would have killed you. I have no problem with you – your kind doesn't eat me, my kind doesn't eat you. But I hate to see the hunters kill the way they do. It wouldn't bother me if they killed just to eat and be clothed. But these guys lately – they seem to get pleasure out of it. …I just don't like it.' She replied.

"The wolf just stared at her for a few moments. Finally he replied, 'You are not like any other creature I've ever known.'

"The falcon laughed and said, 'You've known a lot of falcons, have you?'

"The wolf had to admit that he did not. But still, he suspected she was unique. And so he thanked her again for helping him – this time quite sincerely. And she nodded her head and told him it was her pleasure, before flying off into the sky.

"After that time, the wolf did not see the falcon again for many months. But he thought about her often.

"But what of the falcon? What was her story? Well, I mentioned earlier that falcons are typically lonely creatures. They live on their own. And this one was no different from most. She wasn't special in any way. In fact, the only reason she helped the wolf, REALLY, is that he was making noise and she thought if she helped him, the noise would stop, and she wouldn't have to worry about all the mice hiding themselves.

"But after she helped him, she found herself thinking about him continually. He intrigued her. Not because he'd fallen into the pit, but because he was alone. Most wolves she'd seen stay in packs. So what was his story?

"The more she tried not to think about him, the more she actually thought about him. It's like if I tell you not to think of a purple flower – what did you just think of? A purple flower, right?"

The kids nodded and voiced their agreement.

"So the falcon flew back to the woods where she'd met the wolf, and began looking for him. When she found him, she started watching him from a distance. And she saw that he was, indeed, a lone wolf. No pack.

"He was alone – just like she was.

"She watched out for him, watched over him. And noticed that often, she would catch him looking up toward the sky with sadness.

"One day, as was settling in a tree after a mid-day meal, some human hunters made camp beneath her. She kept still and listened to them talk.

"'I don't know why you persist in following that beast,' one of them commented to the other.

"'Because he is mine. I raised him to serve me. His life belongs to me. I will find him and he will either serve me again, or I will kill him. I will not be made a laughing stock by a mere wolf.'

"The other hunter shook his head. 'So you're finally regretting not killing it as a pup, eh?'

The proud hunter refused to answer the question. Instead, he commented, 'We have found a set of single wolf tracks. They belong to him. He will be mine again. And this time, if he tries to bite me, he will be dead.'

"The falcon did not like those words.

"She knew of many of her kind who had been captured by humans, raised to become pets that hunt on command, relinquishing their kill to the humans who keep them. From what she saw, the training involved them being leashed until even when the leash was removed, the birds acted as if it were still attached to their leg. To her, the thought of being leashed, not able to fly free, was terrible indeed.

"If her wolf had escaped that fate, she wanted to help him. And so, she took wing, seeking out the wolf she had been trailing for months.

"She found him resting on the top of a cliff, looking out toward the sea. She landed on a log near him and said, 'Hey. How's it going?'

"He quickly turned to face her, as if he expected to be attacked at any minute. But from what she had seen of his life, that was probably a fairly reasonable assumption. His eyes narrowed on the bird, and then he laid back down facing the sea again. 'You. What are you doing here?'

"'I came to warn you. There are a pair of hunters looking for you.'

"His eyes narrowed, 'Looking for me?'

"'That's what I said. Have you grown deaf since we last met?'

"'Why would they be looking for me?'

"The bird shrugged. 'Did you ever bite a human once? He said you had. And that if you tried it again, he'd kill you.'

"With these words, the wolf remembered – remembered how he got away, and his heart knew fear. Were his only choices to remain alone or be killed?

"The bird looked at him and said, 'If you'd like, I could stay nearby, and let you know when this human comes near – so that you can avoid him.'

"The wolf looked up at her and said, 'Why? Why would you do that? Why help me?'

"The bird responded, 'Maybe I'm bored. Maybe you're more interesting than I thought a wolf could ever be. I don't know really. Do you want my help or not?'

"The wolf saw the falcon was truthful and replied, 'I would be grateful for both the help, and the company.'

"The bird smiled at him. Have you ever seen a bird smile?" the woman asked the kids and most of them shook their heads. "It doesn't happen very frequently – so most people have not seen it. And the wolf knew how rare it was and found himself smiling back.

"The two then began travelling together. They were together for many years.

"It was a mutually beneficial relationship. The falcon was able to help the wolf avoid the hunter. And when winter came, the wolf and the falcon shared body heat and meals, making the cold season pass much more amenably.

"After so much time together, they began to trust each other implicitly. But deep down the wolf began to feel guilty.

"Falcons are meant to fly high and free. Yet this bird stayed close to the ground, just for him. He felt that he was taking advantage of her.

"And they had not seen any sign of the hunter in over two years. Surely the man had given up. Wasn't it time for the falcon to get her life back? He began to brood on the thought, falling into a quiet depression.

"The falcon noticed his change of mood. After all, she knew him better than anyone. And he knew her. In her time with him, she came to realize that all that time by herself, she had truly been lonely. There had never been anyone she could rely on. But this wolf, he was trustworthy. He was her friend.

"She had never had a friend before. Not like this. In her mind, there was nothing better than flying with him. Oh, she knew HE couldn't fly. But when she flew as he ran beneath her, she felt as if they were soaring together. She enjoyed sharing the sunsets with him and simply being by his side.

"So when his mood became dark, she worried for him. And so, she began watching him, more than she watched the woods around her.

"Because of this, she failed to notice the signs – signs that the hunter was back, looking for them.

"You see, the hunter had been watching from a distance. And he had noticed that the two travelled together. And he had decided that this gave him the advantage. So he began tracking the bird instead of the wolf.

"Until one day, he found where the two of them were, and set a trap. And this time, the trap was designed to catch the falcon.

"Unknowing, the falcon, going to her midday meal, grasped a mouse that had been placed as bait. And when her claws struck it's back, the trap was sprung!

"A net was released, capturing the bird. She screamed in terror. How could she have not noticed? And now she was trapped!

"What would her wolf do without her? He might be captured as well! She fought the net to no avail, and the hunter laughed as he moved toward her. 'Finally!' he declared. 'I have you now. And I'll finally get my wolf back.'

"She froze, as she realized what he meant. She would be used as bait? Never! She would die first.

"At that moment, the wolf walked into the clearing. He lowered his head and growled at the man.

"'Ah, there you are. I have your little friend. If you want me to let her go, you'll submit and return.' The wolf growled louder. 'Or, I could simply kill her,' the man continued, pulling out a knife and holding it above the trapped bird.

"The wolf stopped his noises and looked up at his friend. As the falcon looked, she could see that his eyes were sad with regret. 'Do not do it!' she cried. 'I'll be fine. He won't hurt me. Run. Be free!'

"The wolf smiled at her sadly. 'I've taken too much of your kindness already. You deserve to be flying free,' he said. Then he took a deep breath, and walked to the man, lowering his head and submitting himself as he was collared and leashed.

"Once he was collared, the man laughed. 'Fool dog,' he responded. 'Did you honestly think you could get away from me? You belong to me. Your life is mine. But at least I got something out of the search. Now I'll have a falcon to hunt for me as well.'"

"Nooooo!" several of the children cried, and the woman looked out on them with a sad expression.

"Hearing those words, the wolf was filled with both panic and rage. Who was this, this human! To try to capture something so beautiful and free! The wolf realized that he'd rather die than watch his friend – his only friend – suffer the fate that he had once suffered at this man's hands.

"Without a sound, he leaped for the man's throat, tearing it out before the man could even yank on the leash. But the man did have time to do one thing. Before he died, he thrust the knife out, slashing down the wolf's face and impaling the blade in his shoulder.

"The wolf ignored the pain, the blood seeping from his own wounds, and turned to his friend. Setting his teeth to the task, he gnawed on the net, freeing the bird from her trap. As soon as she was out of her prison, she hopped over to him.

"Instantly, she saw the damage, and she knew her friend would die. 'You idiot!' she cried.

"'As long as you're free,' he whispered to her, 'Then I can die happy.' He closed his eyes and laid his head down to rest.

"'I would have given my life for your freedom,' she said softly as she walked over to him.

"His eyes never opened as he replied, 'You already had, tying yourself to me. You do not know how much your friendship has meant to me. I only wish I had been born a falcon, so that we could truly have stayed together.'

"She whispered to him, 'You were a falcon. And I was a wolf.' And as he died, she raised her head. And the cry she uttered was not that of a falcon, but that of a wolf, grieving.

"And the falcon remained by his side, never leaving, for food or water, until she, too passed from this earth.

"But as she crossed over into the realm of the Maker, she looked down at her new spirit body. And she saw that she had the body of a wolf – but with falcon wings that she could use to fly. And waiting for her, she saw her wolf, who now also had wings, and who was waiting for her.

"Together, they flew to the Maker's side, laughing, because they knew that they would nevermore be alone – they would remain together, protected by the Maker, for all eternity – the Wolf who loved the Falcon, and the Falcon who loved the Wolf."

She looked up and the children were grinning. "Okay, what story do you want to hear next?" she asked.

A variety of requests were made, but Fenris didn't hear them.

"Good story, huh?" Varric said simply. "The best stories out there are always based in truth. So do me a favor, huh? Don't make the Falcon die grieving over the Wolf. Try something new: try LIVING."

With that, the dwarf walked away.

A small hand touched his shoulder and he looked up to see an elvhen pre-teen girl looking at him, her head cocked to the side in curiousity. "Hey, mister. Why are you crying?"

"I am not crying," he replied, his hand coming up to his face and feeling the wetness on his cheeks. He quickly scrubbed them dry with his palms.

The girl smiled and said, "That's what my brother said the first time he heard that story, too. But you don't have to feel sad. They ended up together, right? Because love makes you stronger – even than death." She grinned. "Still, I think it would have been better if they'd actually told each other they loved each other, wouldn't it? I wish she'd change the story to add that. But she won't do it. When I asked, she said, 'Love isn't real or unreal depending on what words are spoken. It's proven real by actions. When someone loves you, they stay by your side – no matter what.'" Her grin grew wider. "That's why everyone comes to listen to her every Feastday. She tells the best stories. Oh! You should hear the one about the singing glowworm who charmed the horned demon lord."

Fenris shook his head as he blushed. Didn't he tell her that he didn't like to sing in front of people?

She was telling stories to children. About him. He'd left her and she…

He stood up and walked around the tree. When he saw that she'd noticed him, he nodded and said, "Hawke. Please come to my mansion tonight. There's something I need to speak to you about."

She blushed, wondering how much he'd heard, but nodded in agreement.

As he walked away, he thought it was about time he grew a pair of wings.


End file.
